Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia or fear of closed, closed, tight spaces can be found anywhere: in an elevator, shower stall, airplane, solarium. Places with a lot of people – theaters, shopping centers – also pose a danger to a person with claustrophobia.

Even clothes that are tight around the neck (like a tie) can trigger a terrible panic. A spontaneous feeling of anxiety often causes panic attacks – a rapid, episodic manifestation of inexplicable anxiety accompanied by somatic (vegetative) symptoms. Among the factors influencing the development of claustrophobia are: brain disorders, classical conditioning or genetic predisposition.

Claustrophobia is one of the five "spatial" fears, along with fear of heights, darkness, depth, and agoraphobia. A person with claustrophobia worries that he will feel bad, lose control of himself, or faint. The habit of sitting closer to the exit is explained by the panic fear of not being able to get out of the room.

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Causes of claustrophobia

Very often fears have a genetic predisposition, are nurtured in the family. Note that people who want changes and accomplishments, but are afraid of stability, have all the signs of claustrophobia. Claustrophobic patients instinctively reach out to new discoveries, are afraid of restrictions on personal rights and freedoms. Of course, a person is not born with claustrophobia, but easily learns established attitudes to things that threaten safety, health and survival. For example, one of the parents is afraid of confined spaces. He will easily pass on constant worries about riding in an elevator to his child. After all, an elevator is a threat, it is better to walk on the stairs, it is safer. The launch of the mechanism itself is also activated due to the fault of the parents, when they lock the baby in a closet as a punishment, accidentally lock him in a closet during hide-and-seek, or he falls into an unfenced pool, sits alone in a locked car for a long time, gets lost in a crowd of people, etc. Here we can add problems during childbirth, when the child is stuck in the birth canal. Statistics say that such an episode is imprinted in the subconscious and there is a high risk of claustrophobia with age. Head injuries, various brain diseases are also causes of fear. Claustrophobia, the reasons for its occurrence are rooted in a person's internal conflicts, most of which come from childhood.

The role of the tonsils in the process of fear management with the result of fight or flight is interesting. The upper part of the tonsil at the level of nuclei produces impulses that affect: nervous excitability, respiratory rate, adrenaline level, increased blood pressure, contraction of the heart muscle. Various behavioral reactions arise - defense, fear, numbness, etc. An attack of claustrophobia is characterized by excessive emotionality, a feeling of physical limitation and fixation on the problem. It has been found that in people with panic disorders, the right tonsil is smaller than the left.

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Symptoms of claustrophobia

Claustrophobia, the symptoms of its appearance can be divided into two main ones:

1. fear of restriction of freedom;
2. fear of suffocation.

Claustrophobes fear typical situations – being in a cave, an elevator, a room without windows, traveling in a car or a subway car, being in crowded places. There are less common cases – a chair at a hairdresser or dentist, a standard line for groceries. Fear of being deprived of freedom increases the heart rate, creates a sense of danger, resulting in shortness of breath and profuse sweating.

The objective symptoms of claustrophobia are suffocation, dryness and irritation in the throat, and ultimately, coughing. An attack of claustrophobia is accompanied by the desire to tear off one's clothes in the hope of getting the long-awaited rush of air. Any combination of the above symptoms can cause the development of a panic attack.

Claustrophobia

A claustrophobic attack or panic attack occurs instantly and manifests itself as inexplicable anxiety with signs of autonomic dysfunction. It disappears when the cause of fear is eliminated. However, the consequences can be felt for several days after the incident.

Sometimes, a person experiences anxiety in anticipation of another attack of claustrophobia. Fear of phobia develops in situations similar to those when a panic attack was observed. An attack of claustrophobia and its consequences change, their painfulness increases over time, so you need to see a doctor in a timely manner. People who have experienced a panic attack describe wild fear, a feeling of the proximity of death. Many of them are sure that they are going crazy, are prone to heart attacks, they have instant visions or tunnel vision. A feeling of weakness, nausea is replaced by numbness of part or the whole body, difficulty breathing, horror of losing control - all this makes a person flee.

An attack of claustrophobia can be caused by pathologies of the cardiovascular system, mental illness, dysfunction of the thyroid gland or adrenal glands, diabetes. Depression, prolonged emotional stress, physical and mental exhaustion of the body, hormonal disorders, etc. are also causes of panic attacks. Naturally more emotional, women are most susceptible to such a disease. Repeated attacks of claustrophobia, constant anxiety deprive a person of a normal life, gradually driving him into a limited framework. Fear of leaving the apartment without an escort appears.

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Treatment of claustrophobia

Treatment of claustrophobia and its attacks is carried out using beta-blockers and antidepressants, which reduce excessive heartbeat and excessive anxiety. Cognitive therapy techniques are used, the therapeutic effect of which is achieved by immersion in a state of fear. The method is the most effective for getting rid of many known phobias. The patient copes with the problem independently under the guidance of a specialist. The impact on the human psyche begins with situations with a minimum level of stress and increases to the maximum amount of discomfort. The patient is taught relaxation techniques. Hypnosis and the method of breathing retraining also help to cope with phobia. During a hypnotic trance, the cause of claustrophobia is revealed. Breathing training teaches how to deal with claustrophobia, blocking it at the moment of its appearance.

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How to deal with claustrophobia?

During another attack, it is important to learn to relax:

• inhalations and exhalations to normalize the breathing process;
• imagine something joyful: warm rain pouring warm streams on you;
• stop your gaze on any object, study it in detail with all its shortcomings, defects and advantages;
• start a conversation with someone;
• Psychologists advise turning on music and moving rhythmically to its sounds, singing along.

How to get rid of claustrophobia? Desire alone will not be enough, a person must believe in his or her own strength to overcome fear. Any phobia is a realized thought form. In this case, working with visualization can help: imagine yourself in a limited space, do not panic, on the contrary, feel calm and relaxed. From images, gradually move on to actions. Start with a few seconds, then minutes and increase the time spent in the "dangerous" zones.

Phobias are common among particularly sensitive individuals who are sensitive to the experiences, fears, and negative emotions of those around them. The desire to help all those who suffer can play a cruel joke on you in the form of oversaturation with other people's emotions and the emergence of phobias. You should not take on unbearable burdens or get involved in other people's problems on subtle planes. Sort out your life so that you can rejoice and enjoy every day.

Claustrophobia manifests itself in different ways, with different strength and degree of neglect. Only a slight fear in a confined space or, on the contrary, severe panic may arise. How to get rid of claustrophobia in advanced forms? There is only one answer to this question - treatment with the help of a specialist.